Several candidates are eyeing the Tarrant County Judge position in this year鈥檚 upcoming election.
A county judge is elected to serve a four-year term and oversees the county鈥檚 鈥減olicy-making body鈥� known as the Commissioners Court. Duties of the court include approving the county budget, transportation, public health, property tax rates and overseeing county buildings and infrastructure.
The county judge also manages financial, budgetary, and administrative matters.
In Tarrant County specifically, the county judge serves as the Chair of the Election Commission and Chair of the Workforce Governing Board and is a member of several other boards.
Here are the candidates on the ballot for primary election on March 3:
Republican candidates
Tim O鈥� Hare
Tim O鈥� Hare, 58, has served as Tarrant County Judge since 2023 when he was first elected. O鈥橦are 鈥渉as ushered in a new era of accountability, efficiency, and conservative governance,鈥� according to his campaign website. He announced his bid for re-election last July.
In 2023, O鈥橦are, District Attorney Phil Sorrells and Sheriff Bill Waybourn, all Republicans, created the Election Integrity Task Force to help combat against voter fraud despite rare incidents of election crimes.
Last year, he proposed a mid-decade redistricting of the county鈥檚 precincts intended to increase the Republican majority on the commissioners court. Despite backlash from residents and advocacy groups, the more GOP-friendly map was approved by commissioners.
The new map prompted two lawsuits accusing the county of racial gerrymandering and violation of voting rights. O鈥橦are argued the map was legal and did not violate racial gerrymandering laws, and the two suits were later dismissed or dropped.
On his website, O鈥橦are said he鈥檚 committed to 鈥減reserving the conservative values that make Texas strong.鈥�
More information about O鈥橦are can be found on his campaign website:
Robert Trevor Buker
Robert Buker, 42, is running against Time O鈥� Hare for the Republican candidacy for a second time, first running against the county judge in 2022.
Buker鈥檚 campaign focuses on accountability, safety, and responsible growth. His website emphasizes his concerns on several things, including public safety and jail oversight, restoring regular commissioner court meetings and 鈥減reserving meaningful in-person public comment.鈥�
The scheduled commissioners court meetings have been reduced several times in recent years. The weekly meetings were cut to two meetings per month in 2024 and cut again to one meeting a month in 2025.
Before entering local politics, Buker worked in correctional facilities and now works in behavioral health security.
More information can be found about Buker on his campaign website:
Democratic candidates
Alisa Simmons
Alisa Simmons, 62, has served on commissioners court for Precinct 2 since 2022 and announced her intent to run for county judge in December.
Simmons is challenging her colleague O鈥� Hare for his seat, saying the current court is too focused on partisan fighting. Simmons and O鈥橦are are known for clashing during commissioner鈥檚 court meetings ever since they both joined the court.
She has opposed O鈥橦are 鈥榮 views on issues like jail accountability at the sheriff鈥檚 office amid custody deaths, meeting decorum, and the county鈥檚 new redistricting. Simmons accused the new map of discriminating against Black and Latino voters.
In response to a questionnaire from the Fort Worth Report, Simmons said her top priorities include fiscal stability, mental and behavioral health, and accountability in jail operations and jail deaths.
鈥淭hese three priorities are connected: responsible budgeting, a strong mental health system, and humane, accountable jail operations are essential to restoring trust, protecting lives, and governing with integrity,鈥� Simmons said.
Before becoming Precinct 2 Commissioner, Simmons worked as a journalist, county 911 administrator and president of the Arlington NAACP.
More information can be found about Simmons on her campaign website:
Millenium Anton C. Woods, Jr.
Millenium Anton Woods, Jr., 26 is the other Democratic candidate running for county judge. Woods previously ran for Fort Worth Mayor in 2025, losing to Mattie Parker.
Woods does not have a campaign website but works as a private contractor, according to his responses to 四虎影院 was unable to find more information about Woods, and he did not complete a questionnaire about his bid for county judge.
Penelope Rivera is 四虎影院's Tarrant County Accountability Reporter. Got a tip? Email Penelope Rivera at privera@kera.org.
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